Friday, August 16, 2013

New Family Member!!!

In August of 1980, I was umpteen months pregnant and in the midst of sewing all the dressings for the crib which would soon hold our firstborn son...on the K-word Sewing Machine from the S-store that I purchased for myself as a High School Graduation gift...now known as being synonymous with tension nightmares...right?  My K-word was amongst that group...in the midst of my nesting free-for-all...it quit on me...
Bless my husbands heart...he didn't flinch, or at least let me see him flinch, when he signed the dotted line and we purchased my beautiful Cranberry colored, then top of the line, Viking 6570.  It was love at first sight...and it meant I could have the nursery finished in short order, and it was.  Perhaps he was less flinch-less due to the fact that my sewing machine connoisseur Aunt, who, on her Executive Secretary to the VP of Blue Cross wage, had purchased more than one Viking Machine and a second Aunt also had an old 6000...which I later inherited but never loved as much as Cranberry.
My Aunts were seamstresses...literally,  they were always sewing clothes.  Auntie #1 often made costumes for work functions....I don't recall how many Hawaiian shirts were on her sewing machine for fellow employees one year...Auntie #2 supplemented her retirement by sewing for clients, so if Viking was good enough for them, it was certainly good enough for me.  Later, Auntie #1 collected a couple of beloved Berninas...but I was still content and in love with Cranberry.  She was beautiful...she gave me joy & fulfillment...listened to my fears...and didn't rust under salty tears.
Several years ago Cranberry took a spill when we were moving furniture around to paint and Kitty hopped from computer desk to portable sewing table and it gave way sending poor Cranberry to the floor.  She was never the same after...even after 10 months of being held hostage in the repair shop...(I've since learned that this shop has earned its rep for lack of motivation, completion and communication.  One can't even get their Ginghers back from sharpening in a timely manner.) I've just never been able to bring myself to admit that she was done for...the thought of purchasing a new machine made me wince...even tear up...I felt like a dirty low-down cheater for even considering beginning a relationship with one other than Cranberry.
A couple of years ago Quilty Partner in Crime and I decided we both wanted some inexpensive little lightweight machines to haul around with us and we bought a couple of little matching J-word machines that we've used and more or less made do with for the time being.  It's an okay little machine...just not quite up to crossing the bulk of flying geese points in a straight un-meandering manner...and we've both recently begun talking about replacement of our old first loves...her Bernina...my Viking.  Then we realized...fall brings sales...current models will be retired and need to be adopted into new homes, then...before I knew it!  Ah-Ha! There they are!  Sales!  A little online research and tromping around the valley & I've found her!  I've always wished my husband would buy me a beautiful blue Sapphire...and now...we has! (And I met an awesome longarm quilter in the process...we were friends by the time the purchase was complete!  Totally speaking each others language!)

Introducing Miss Sophie Sapphire.
 
Cranberry is still around and I'm determined to find her a better physician and see if we can't get her up and running again...afterall...in some cases at least, a new love never completely erases a first love...and it will help me assuage my feelings of guilt to, at least, give it one more try.  Miracles can happen!
We performed a little surgery on Cranberry's big, more stable permanent sewing table, to accommodate Sophie Sapphire & her clear Lucite table.  I was able to think of plenty of other things to do with $2000+, than to replace a perfectly good sewing table.  The old familiar beast of a table was brought up from the Underground Stash Storage Facility and I've spent several hours over the past week reorganizing my little sewing space, moving design walls, cabinets and shelves to accommodate this additional large piece of furniture.  The little white switch on the lower right ensures that Miss Sophie won't have to be jiggled around to be turned off & on.  Love it!  I was the genius who thought that one up and my husband was the genius who had already purchased the little switchy cord from a clearance table some time ago!

So now we is one big happy family!  I've already put Sophie through her paces repairing a couple of rabbit fur pouches that a co-worker and his wife use with their Border Collies when they're out doing Agility courses on the weekends.  Those little rascals had tugged on the treat filled squeaky pouches so much that the bungee straps that lead to the handlers wrists had been torn out of the seams.  The seams are all now reinforced and re-reinforced and if they give way anytime soon...I'll be amazed!  Shooter Doxie got one whiff of the rabbit fur and treat residue and thought he should have one of these pouches too!  Not likely!  Although active, he's getting a bit aged & infirm to become an Agility Competitor now!
Soph's next job will be a simple, bright goofy little wallhanging that's been cut out for months, so we can get better acquainted before we get to work on the more serious stuff.

Falling In Love All Over Again!

Nancie Anne




Saturday, August 10, 2013

Details, Details, Details...

From Idaho PieceMakerS Quilt Show...

The Whole Shebang...
 
and the details...
 
And then this Whole Thang...
 
 
With its Finishing Details...
 
You'll have to forgive my Twang...
We recently attended Neal McCoy's Concert...

 
 
                                                          and I'm still recovering...
                                                                                                          from the details...

Oh dear...I digress...which really isn't that hard...
 
But Hey! This quilt really Sang..


 
And Shared some beautiful Details...
 
Here's another of the Gang...
 
and some lovely Irish Details... 
 
 
And another...Hot Dang!
 

 
 
 And Naturally...the Details


 
 
Now, out with a bang!
 
Cuz' I've finally run out of Details...
 
 
 
 
A Little Saturday Silliness...
 
From
Nancie Anne
 
 
 
 


 

Thursday, August 8, 2013

Taos Quilts at Idaho PieceMakerS Show

This was posted on the door in a section of the high school hallway at the entrance to a special display of Taos Quilts where show goers were invited to vote for their favorite.
I thought it sweet and wanted to share it with you.
These quilts were constructed in a class taught by Julia Ziegler
 at her home based quilt classroom called
Room To Learn
 
Now on with the quilts!
Taos is by Whirligig Designs and finishes a mere 102" square.
This is Julia's quilt and was therefore exempt from the voting...but isn't it gorgeous?
 
Looking down the hall at about half the quilts that were entered.  Unfortunately I didn't get a shot of the quilts on the opposing side.  Just selected a few favorites.
This batik quilt kind of has a Stonehenge feel to it don't you think?
 
Easter-y...yeah?
 
This one contains several Aboriginal prints
 
And this one is Mega Easter!
All the same, but as many different personalities as their makers...
Kinda like my kids!
 
Enjoy!
 
Nancie Anne
 
 
 
 

Wednesday, August 7, 2013

A Little Quilt Show Stuff...

Made by Joe...
no...not Lynn's Mr. Joe...
although this did make me think of the man behind Sew'n Wild Oaks...
but Joe, the husband of Julia, the Kuna PieceMakerS Show Chair...
Each year he constructs a beautiful side table for the winner of the show's Peoples Choice Award.
If this isn't enough to make you want to hang a quilt in the show I'm not sure what is.
 
 
I strolled around one corner & thought of another blogger I enjoy.
Sue at Cozy Little Quilts recently blogged about her beautiful floral Farmers Market Quilt...
I have this Lintott book, More Layer Cake, Jelly Rolls & Charm Quilts & a stash of fabric on my to do list...this quilt is known by the authors as High Fashion...but Sue has renamed it in honor of the lovely fabric collection she used by Brannock & Patek.
 
So these are the things at the show that made me think of my long distance friends in Blogland.
 
Be Inspired...then be Inspirational...
 
Nancie Anne

 

Tuesday, August 6, 2013

Recipe for a Snowman Basket Block!

Here are the Ingredients I Used to Make...
 
 
THIS 12.5 inch unfinished block! 

One basket constructed from the pattern Sunny Days by Gingham Girls!
One wool felt snowman adapted (shortened and reversed) from Block 10 of Bunny Hills BOM, Snowbound.  I downloaded it when it was free each month but it's now selling on Bunny Hills website.
Three stars from the same Snowbound Block #10.
Two Holly Leaves from my well loved copy of the book, Tis The Season. 

The snowman's nose was satin stitched with a single strand of DMC orange embroidery 6-strand floss then outlined with a single strand of black DMC six strand floss.  His eyes & mouth of are Colonial Knots.  I don't recall whether I used a single strand or more likely, a double strand.  I prefer the Colonial Knot above the French Knot.  It is, for me, a much more efficient knot to wrap, control and snug down.  It's a simple figure 8 wrapped around your needle with the point facing away from you, stab back down close to where you came up and it's done...no Flip-Floppy French knots!  Colonial Knots are used in Candlewicking usually with 4 to 6 strands of embroidery floss.  They are not as bulky as a French Knot strand for stand, therefore I increase my strands to get the fill I wish to see if I have instructions that include French Knots. 
(I've been known to layer a Colonial Knot on top of another one to increase the bulk...but that's just between you and me...okay?)

Finally, I Blanket Stitched (Buttonhole Stitched) around the basket and snowman to finish the edges using black DMC Perle Cotton.

And There You Have It! 
Easy Peasy, Lemon Cheesy!

Nancie Anne

Monday, August 5, 2013

Art Quilts From Idaho PieceMakerS Show

Favorites from the Art Quilt Division at the Idaho PiecMakerS Quilt Show
 
My personal favorite was this old locomotive!
My train happy Grandson is going to love this one!
 
Reminds me of an old farm we visited once...the parking attendant was a full grown pig.
 
Remember the old short lived TV show Apple's Way?
Waltons creator, Earl Hamner's project as I recall.
The family lived in an old mill?
I always thought that was so cool.
 
Look closely Mermaid & Treasure Chest are bedazzling!
 
The more I look at this one the more I love her.  I love that the diamond background suggests the scales of a fish...or mermaid.
 
This was our pick in the Youth Category...
This 10 year old has what it takes...she can select colors that work together &
 her seams and intersections were dead on!
Great Job!
 
Not done yet!
 
Nancie Anne
 
 

Sunday, August 4, 2013

Idaho PieceMakerS Quilt Show 2013 Challenge Block Quilts

As Previously Promised...here's my little runner, the Snowman Basket in the center was my contribution to the 2012 Quilt Block Challenge. 
 
The Stripe that appears in all three blocks was the selected challenge fabric.  I did some reverse sewing on the blocks that flank it.  The HST block was simply a re-sew to ensure that points didn't get swallowed up into the seam allowances.
The block on the left is completely different from the original.  I ripped it apart and reused the fabrics.  The original block was cut without regard to accuracy, possibly not even with templates, and there were an interesting variety of seam allowances.  Kind of like the house that grew like topsy, this block was originally just added onto until it became the required size.
The green outer border is that gorgeous music print that was out in the shops last year, and I couldn't resist using the plaid to bind it. 
How do ya' like the High Tech Quilt Hanging System?  Seems the days of a sleeve on the back of any quilt submitted for show is in the past around these parts...
It's easier...but still,
not as cute as the embellished wooden clothespin method used by Quilting In The Garden
 
 
 This is the quilt that belongs to last years block challenge 1st Place Recipient.
The Marlboro Man in the upper left quadrant was the winner and she was able to pick 15 or 16 of her favorite non-placing blocks from other contributors.  Then she spent the remainder of the year creating all the animal blocks, the barn center & setting this inspiration together!
 
 Here's A Little Guided Tour Around the Quilt...starting with the center... 
 
 
 
 
I'm particularly fond of this little "Babe" section of the quilt.
  If my wobbly memory serves correctly the 2nd place quilt was not in attendance.
This one was 3rd place.
and this little guy was, I think, the 4th place recipient.
Each block was adorned with a different button in the center.
 
and here is a piece of the Paisley 2014 Challenge Fabric that followed me home...
one of the best yet...although I could make a rather colorful statement regarding the shape of these little fellas...I will behave myself and refrain...and let you fill in your own blanks. 
 
and last...for this post, anyhow...here are my favorite new things that I put away in my Playroom.
Beautiful wood working and beautiful wools to put in the Wooley Whatzit box.
I was in need of a new seam ripper...or two as my old favorite has become dull and is no longer available at the "J" store and I broke another not long ago.
the stiletto will come in handy too.
No, they're not all for me...I was playing Mrs. Claus a bit early...
Shh...don't tell!
 
More show pictures will magically appear...perhaps even tomorrow!
 
For now...Quilt Your Heart Out!
 
Nancie Anne